The Rules
by doubelieveinmagic23
Summary: Oliver has rules during Quidditch season. And Katie is one to question them. Katie/Oliver. one-shot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, sadly.**

The Rules

I sighed as I landed my broom after another brutal, early morning Quidditch practice. Yawning and stretching my arms, I headed quickly towards the locker rooms. I couldn't wait to take a long, warm shower and wash away the sweat that was dripping down my face_. _Ew. My hair was caked with mud and looked more brown than the deep black it actually was. In a minute, I could wash it all out and have my hair smelling like lavender from my shampoo. Mmmm, yum.

"Hey, Bell!!" came a loud voice with a Scottish accent. "You know the rules! Team meeting before we end practice."

"Oliver! I'm going to be late for class!" I whined, not turning to look at Oliver Wood, the object of my affection since I was in the first year. Some would say it was unhealthy to like a boy so much older than me, but boys mature slower than girls, so really, we're about even. And he's only two years older than me. And he doesn't even like me, so it's okay. Anyways, even if he did like me, we would never be together. He has rules.

"So skip your shower!" he called back, annoyance in his voice.

Gross…

"I am not skipping my shower! I'm covered in mud and sweat!" I snapped, turning to face him and holding up a strand of wet, dirty hair for him to see. Was the boy blind?

"That's not my problem," he said, putting a hand on his hip and raising his eyebrows at me, looking incredibly cute even in his frustration at me.

"Seriously, Wood, Katie is right. We really need a shower," Alicia said carefully, not wanting to invoke Wood's 'righteous anger' at our daring to question him. I was usually the only one who defied him; he needed to be brought down from his heavenly Quidditch pulpit every now and then.

"Am I the captain or is Bell?" Oliver asked the team, glaring at Alicia, who quickly looked away, not saying anything at his angry look.

"Well, I don't care who the captain is!" I said loudly, meeting Oliver's eyes. "You're just the captain, not the ruler of our lives. Now I'm going to take a shower. You all can have your dumb meeting and go over plays we already have memorized. I'm going to smell good for classes today." I turned and headed towards the lockers, ignoring Oliver's furious yells after me. He was going to be so pissed…

The water from the shower hit me hard and warm, sending the mud in a river down my body and into the drain. After cleaning off the mud from my body, I reached for my shampoo and sighed as the heavenly scent filled the showers. I loved showers. You know what they say- cleanliness is next to godliness, and I believed it.

I was quick, not wanting to run into my teammates and Oliver. I hurried out of the showers, but I guess I wasn't fast enough.

"Bell, listen, we need to talk," Oliver said, standing in the room, the team behind him, just coming in from the meeting. It had begun to rain.

"I can't, I'm going to be late for breakfast," I said, trying to slide past him, nervously. He caught my arm in his muddy hand.

Could he not tell I had just gotten clean?

"Katie, what is going on with you?! If this keeps up I'm going to have to…" he started, but I yanked my arm away, absolutely livid. I do happen to have a temper, and Oliver is really good at invoking it.

"You're going to what? Cut me from the team? Go ahead! At this point I don't even care anymore!" I yelled at him, wiping mud off my arm disgustedly. Why'd he have to go and touch me? My whole arm felt like it was on fire now because I liked him so much. Too bad, I had to hurt his feelings. Those early morning practices were getting way out of hand.

"What?" Oliver asked. "You aren't going to… quit… are you?"

"No, I love Quidditch too much for that. I should have quit long ago, before I fell in love with the sport, but I guess that crush on you kept me going for a while," I snapped, wincing mentally at the sound of myself confessing that I maybe, kinda, sort of am I love with him. Maybe. Kinda. Sort of. Darn…

"Crush?" he asked weakly.

"Yeah! I had a huge crush on you for years! I've handled practices at four in morning and nine at night until midnight! I've gone without showers! I've gone without food! My grades have suffered, and I've let it go. Between my love for Quidditch and the crush I had on you, I took it. When I finally got over that crush, Quidditch had it's hold on me. But no more! I love Quidditch, but I'm not going to let you slowly kill us through these crazy practices because I'm afraid to hurt your feelings!" I snapped, glaring him down. Good thing I used past tense about my crush for him. I was true… it was no longer a crush. I loved him. Maybe. Kinda. Sort of. Darn.

"Katelyn Elizabeth Bell, you need to get out of here before you say something you regret," Alicia said quickly, stepping forwards to take my arm.

"Not that it isn't true," Angelina said quickly, taking my other arm.

"True?" Oliver asked, staring at her in shock.

"Oliver, you've been working us to the bone," Alicia said quietly. "We've all been thinking that it's too much. Katie is just the only one brave enough to confront you about it."

"What do you mean?" Oliver said suspiciously. "I've been completely reasonable…" He trailed off, frowning. "Well… fine. At least don't break the rules, though! Those are very important!"

"Wood, the rules are ridiculous. Most of them don't even make sense!" I snapped, still glaring at him.

"Like what?" he asked, still frowning as he thought. Gosh, he was adorable.

"No dating during season!" I offered, putting my hand on my hip.

"That is a perfectly sensible rule! We can't have our team lovesick over their boyfriend or girlfriend during Quidditch season! People might start skipping practices… having their heads in the clouds…" Oliver trailed off, shaking his head at me. "No boyfriends or girlfriends."

"Too bad," I said, holding my head high. "I have a date tonight for Hogsmeade, and I plan on keeping it."

"A date?" Oliver said, nearly choking. "Who?"

"John, that nice Ravenclaw Chaser. You know him," I said, knowing very well that Oliver would be furious. Oh well, I couldn't not date boys because the boy I loved didn't love me back. Maybe he'd even come around and realize his true feelings when he saw me with another guy. It's not like I only dated guys for that reason. I had other reasons. Like… Crap.

His face went red for a moment. Then, he became very still as he composed himself. I wished I was that good looking when I got angry about something. "Fine. If you wish to fraternize with the enemy, then that is your choice. I will not get in your way of dating darling John."

"Good," I said, turning away from him quickly to head out of the room.

I sat on my bed later that day, sobbing into my pillow. I'd managed through all of my classes and needed to get ready for my date. I didn't really feel like it though. I watched the door open. Angelina and Alicia slipped in, looking at me with matching sympathetic gazes.

"Are you PMSing?" Angelina asked bluntly.

Drat.

"Yes," I said quietly.

"That was some show today," Alicia said, sitting down on my bed. "You must be really angry with Oliver."

"I got a D on my Transfiguration test the other day because of our late practice. I didn't have time to study. I kind of cracked," I explained quietly. "And the whole PMS thing. But that's not an excuse or anything. I should control myself."

"Is that all that has you angry with him?" asked Alicia while Angelina pulled out her make-up, already starting on with some base. We always got each other ready for dates. Especially when we were not supposed to be having said dates. Which was often.

"No," I admitted. "I'm just so frustrated with Oliver. All he thinks about is Quidditch. I don't think he thinks of me as anything but a Chaser. I love him so much, but he won't give me the time of day unless it will help me with my Quidditch playing. Then he's only too happy to help." I frowned.

"That's not true! No guy could ever not notice you! You are very pretty!" Alicia said, rubbing my arm in an attempt to calm me down.

"Not to mention you have a killer bod," Angelina added.

I rolled my eyes.

"Really! You're super skinny, but you still have enough curves that you aren't a stick," she explained, shrugging her shoulders at my reaction. "Hold still. You need some eyeliners on those baby blues."

"I've got a great dress you can wear! I look awful in it- no curves- but you'll look great!" Alicia said, grinning and pulling a sapphire blue dress out of her closet. "It'll match your eyes!"

An hour later I was sitting in Madame Puddifoot's, waiting for my date. I'd never really liked the place, but he'd offered to take me there, so…

I watched him come in.

"John!" I said, standing happily.

"Gosh, Katie, you look great!" he said, looking me up and down. I blushed.

Alicia and Angelina had outdone themselves. The dress was gorgeous, but it revealed a little more than I liked. It was a halter dress with a very low neckline and a very open back. At least it was long enough- to my knees. Unfortunately, I could barely walk in the black stilettos Angelina had let me borrow. I quickly sat down to avoid embarrassing myself.

"Thanks, John," I said.

"So, how have you been?" he asked me, taking the seat across from me. He took my hand across the table in both of his and stared into my eyes with his own brown eyes. Not quite as pretty as Oliver's chocolate colored eyes, but close enough for now.

"Oh I've been great. Caught up in a lot of Quidditch, you know," I said, laughing with him.

"Aren't we all caught up in that amazing sport? I have to know, though, what made you join the Quidditch team? I myself was just looking for a little fun for my spare time and fell in love. Was it the same for you?"

Um… actually… I fell in love with Oliver Wood, joined the team, and then fell in love with the sport…

"Oh definitely. I needed something for my spare time and then I just couldn't get enough of it!" I exclaimed, smiling as he chuckled softly.

"Yeah. It's that way for a lot of people. I heard you had a falling out with your captain today. Was it bad?" he asked sympathetically. He squeezed my hand.

Yes…

"No," I said, "I just lost my temper. He is so frustrating! We have way too many practices at obscene hours of the day! It's outrageous! We go over plays we already know by heart for hours!"

"Gosh, that must be awful! What kind of plays?" he asked, smiling still, his hand putting pressure on mine. I stared at him, slightly confused.

"You know… plays…" I said, frowning as he nodded eagerly.

"Like… Feints? Hit and Runs?" he asked, still nodding his head fervently and squeezing my hand, not so kindly anymore, but hard and impatiently.

"Did you ask me on this date just to find out about Gryffindor's Quidditch plays?" I asked him, yanking my hand away. It all made sense now.

"I… no… I would never…" he said quickly, shaking his head guiltily.

"You did!" I exclaimed, standing up, furious tears falling down my cheeks. "How could you? Who put you up to this? Was it your captain?"

"I didn't mean… Katie… I'm sorry," he said, taking my arms and trying to pacify me. We were causing quite a scene in the place. Couples were giving us furious, dangerous looks as they came up for air and watched us with angry eyes, obviously wishing we would leave so they could go back to their snogging.

"Don't touch me!" I snapped, pulling away from him and turning towards the door. Running as best I could with those precariously high heels, I left the place and began the long walk up to the castle.

Of course it was raining. It always was on days like these. Now my hair, once curled to perfection by Alicia, was sticking straight to my face and shoulders. It was muddy, too, and the heels kept sinking in, leaving me wobbling as I fought for my balance. I stepped in a hole suddenly and fell to my knees. Of all the days to sprain an ankle, this was the day that I would do it. Not when I was with my friends who could help me hobble back to the castle and the hospital wing, no; it happened when I was all alone in the pouring rain. I screamed my frustration to the black rain clouds above and pulled myself to my feet.

When I finally reached Hogwarts, I walked into the common room and collapsed onto a comfy armchair. A few first and second years glanced over at me, confused. They quickly scattered and left the room empty when I sent them a poisonous glare and pulled my wand out.

Well… mostly empty.

"Bell?" asked a voice I knew all too well. "Bell is that you?"

Crap…

"No…" I said quietly, deepening my voice, hoping he wouldn't recognize me.

"Katie, what happened?" he asked, rushing over in a flurry of papers I recognized as being new Quidditch plays. He looked me over, and I realized how awful I must look. My dress was wet and muddy, my ankle swollen and black, and I had huge mascara lines all down my face. Of course Angelina had decided today was the day to see how her 'blue smoky eye' would look on me. I had huge blue raccoon eyes now. Excellent.

Oh, and to answer what happened, I just got taken out on a date so some scum could try and worm Quidditch plays out of me so Ravenclaw would beat us, and the guy I truly love is in love with someone else- Lady Quidditch.

"Nothing," I said promptly, smiling.

"It's obviously not nothing," he said, kneeling in front of me to pull my heel off and examine my ankle. "Who did this to you?" His voice was dangerous sounding, and I knew there was no getting out of telling him.

"Um… well… John just took me out on the date so he could try and find out about our Quidditch plays. So I left and walked home alone in the rain. And I fell in a hole and sprained my ankle…" I trailed off, shrugging my shoulders.

"The truth, Katie," he said. His voice was very controlled, and I could tell he was ready to explode.

"That is the truth…" I said, confused.

"You have two black eyes, Katie. Don't lie to me! Who did this?" he half-yelled, eyes burning with a furious fire I'd only seen once before- four years ago when Slytherin had cheated by enchanting the balls and none of the teachers had found out. We'd been flattened. He had been so angry. I hadn't been on the team that year, but I remembered the look on his face from out in the stands.

"My eyes?" I asked, then I knew. I began to laugh hysterically.

The make-up had run so much it looked like I had black eyes.

"You must be in shock. I'll take you to the hospital wing," he said, sliding an arm under my legs and another around my waist. He lifted me effortlessly. "Don't worry. No one's going to hurt you now. No one's ever going to hurt you again." He brushed a wet strand of hair from my face tenderly.

"Oliver," I said, trying hard to stop my laughing. "Put me down." I struggled against him, but he would not let me go. "It's really sweet, but I'm fine. It's make-up. It's just make-up." I was still laughing.

"Make-up?" he asked, confused. "You don't wear make-up."

"On dates I do," I said, finally able to calm myself down. "Take me to the bathroom."

He carried me to the bathroom, ignoring my protests to be set down. When we got there, I managed to slide out of his grasp. I splashed water on my face and pulled the emergency make-up remover out of the cabinet. It was always in there for any of the girls to use if they were out of their own. When it was all off, I turned to face Oliver.

"See," I said, smiling.

"So… you didn't get beaten up?" he asked sheepishly.

"No, silly. I was just crying and…" I began.

"Crying?" he asked. "Why?"

"Because I got taken on a date because John wanted to know our Quidditch plays. I didn't tell him anything, honest, Oliver, I swear," I said quickly.

"I don't care about the plays right now, Katie. I care that he hurt your feelings. Are you okay, now?" he asked, putting a hand on my cheek and looking into my eyes intently.

"I'm fine, now, Oliver. He doesn't have that much power over me like you do. I don't care about him like I care about…"

Emergency! Emergency! Abort! Halt! No! Don't say it!

"…you"

Crap.

"You care about me?" Oliver squeaked.

Dang it.

"Uh…" I quickly turned and ran towards the dorm, but was stopped by sharp pain in my ankle. I cried out and crumpled to the floor, clutching it. Oliver was there in a second.

"Katie? Are you okay?" he asked.

"My ankle," I said quietly, pointing at it.

"It's a bad sprain," he said, lifting me for the second time in minutes. "The hospital wing. Now. And don't think you can blame this one on make-up."

After I got my sprain fixed by Madame Pomfrey, I sat in the common room drinking hot chocolate, courtesy of Fred and George. Somehow they knew where the kitchens were. Oliver sat next to me, watching my face as I sipped it, trying to ignore his gaze.

"Katie, we need to talk," he said carefully.

"I'm drinking," I said, taking a huge sip to prove it. He took the cup from my hands and put it on a table beside him. It was out of my reach. Darn short arms.

"Katie, what did you mean back there?" he asked.

"Back where?" I asked innocently.

"Katie," he said, frowning.

"Okay… so I guess… I like you. You know…" I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"I don't know," he said, shaking his head.

Was he going to force me to admit it? Fine.

"Oliver, I'm in love with you!" I snapped at him, jumping up. Good thing Madame Pomfrey can heal ankles in a second. That would have really hurt. It turned and headed towards the girls dormitory, running as fast as I could. Oliver was much faster than me unfortunately…

"Katie," he said, catching me around the waist and pulling me back towards him. I found myself leaning against his chest, his arms around my waist. I'd dreamed of this before, but not quite in this context.

"Yes?" I asked, biting my lip.

"I love you too," he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

…wait what?

"You love me? Too?" I asked, frozen in place.

"Yes," he said, smiling. He turned me around to face him, brushing damp hair out of my face and cupping my cheek. "I've loved you for a while."

"But…" I said, staring at him in disbelief.

What about Lady Quidditch?

"You don't believe me," he said, frowning. He quickly leaned down to brush his lips against mine, ever so softly. He watched my reaction.

"You just kissed me," I whispered, still in a state of shock.

"Yes, Katie," he said impatiently. "Why don't you believe me?"

"Quidditch," I said. "You know the rules."

"I think we can make an exception," he said, laughing. "I guess I always need you to bring me down from my Quidditch craze so I don't kill the team with my crazy ideas."

Exception…?

"You're making an exception? You need me?" I asked slowly.

"How am I supposed to prove it to you?" he yelled in frustration. "I… love… you…" he said, kissing me gently after he said each word.

"You love me," I said slowly, toying with the idea. I smiled.

He loved me.

I quickly leaned up to kiss him. He responded immediately, wrapping his arms around my waist. He started backing up, falling onto the couch and pulling me down with him, still kissing me.

"Ew…" said a sudden voice.

I pulled away and found myself on the couch, sitting in Oliver's lap. Fred and George were standing there.

"Who would snog like that in the common room for everyone to see?" Fred asked.

"Oliver would," George said.

"The first years will never be the same," Fred said mournfully.

"Go away," Oliver muttered, glaring.

"You two sure can ruin a moment like this," I said, frowning.

"So…" began George.

"Does this mean we can have girlfriends, too?" asked Fred.

"Ask me later," Oliver said, standing up and pulling me along with him. "I'm taking a walk."

"We have practice, Oliver," I said, staring at him.

"What practice?" he asked, smiling at me.

"Woah…" Fred said.

"Oliver canceled practice," George added, grinning widely. "Go Katie!"

"Let's tell Angelina and Alicia! They'll be thrilled!" Fred exclaimed.

A half hour later, a very wet and confused Harry Potter stood on the Quidditch field wondering why the rest of the team hadn't showed up for practice.


End file.
